May 20, 2010

Where to Find the {NewNew} May 22 + 23

Handmade Shopping Tip #3

Finding Your Favorite Handmade Artisan Again

You stroll through a spring market and pass by a booth with stunning handprinted tea towels*. You backtrack. You buy one, take it home, and realize it's not only the most beautiful thing in your kitchen, but it's super soft, super absorbent, and easy to clean. You want to buy 10 more as gifts for your entire family. But wait - the tea towel doesn't have the designer's name on it. You paid with cash, so you don't have a receipt. You go back to the market the following weekend and search through all the booths to locate the mystery tea towel seller, but you can't find her again. What to do?

The wonderful thing about handmade products is that it lacks that huge tags emblazoned with a company's logo. Unfortunately, it also means that you might not be able to find that artist that you love. Here are some tips to relocate your favorite handmade artisan.

1. Sign up to be on "the list". Many artists send out newsletters with information about new products, upcoming craft fairs they'll be selling at, or when there are special promotions. Be sure to join - you can always unsubscribe later.

2. Take a business card. But don't just grab a business card, throw it in your shopping bag, and throw it out when you get home! Take a second to make a note on the back about what product you like, or to write a reminder like, "Great gift idea for Aunt Sara!" That way you won't forget why you picked up that card.

3. Put the business cards you collect in one place rather than let them collect in your junk drawer. I like to punch a hole in the top left hand corner and then put them all on a metal book ring to keep them all together.

4. Find out if the artist has a blog. Then subscribe!

Now, put these tips into action this weekend, as there will be plenty of opportunity to shop for amazing handmade items from the {NewNew}!

Hester Street continues to get great press and large turnouts at this hopping Lower East Side Market. Get a taste of old NYC by visiting this historic hotspot. This Saturday you'll find the following vendors: